UFC 329 Staff Picks: Former Champions Excitingly Settle the Score

The rematch of the decade is set for UFC 329 inside T-Mobile Arena when Conor McGregor takes on Max Holloway for the first time since 2013 in the main event of the evening. Beforehand, Paddy Pimblett seeks to avenge his first UFC loss in the co-main event vs. Benoit Saint-Denis.

UFC 329 Main Event

After a five-year long hiatus from the sport, McGregor makes his much-awaited return to the UFC Octagon. Despite being away from competition for more than half a decade, the fighting pride of Ireland remains ever confident that he can close out his rivalry with Holloway with a resounding bang.

Back in 2013 at UFC Fight Night 26, a 21-year old Holloway found himself outmatched by the surging McGregor, who would go on to defeat him and become a living legend in the combat sports world. Growing into a bonafide all-time great also, “Blessed” takes aim at finally settling the score with "Notorious,” once and for all.               

 UFC 329 Co-Main Event 

Following a disastrous setback to Renato Moicano at UFC on ESPN+ 101, an event that took place in his home country of France, Saint-Denis has rallied to become a staggering force at 155-lb. With a new king atop the rankings, and with no clear number one contender in place, the time is now for “God of War” to shoot his shot by barreling through another stern European combatant.        

Losing out on his first UFC title at UFC 324 after a one-sided trashing at the hands of Justin Gaethje, Pimblett is back in his second fight of 2026. Eager to move past the mistakes of the past, “The Baddy” is seeking redemption by earning another opportunity to square off with “The Highlight.”           

More Bouts On the UFC 329 Main Card;

Rounding out the main card, bantamweight phenoms Cory Sandhagen and Mario Bautista lock horns. Then, flyweights take center stage, with Brandon Royval battling Lone'er Kavanagh. Finally, lightweight finishers King Green and Terrance McKinney meet in what will possibly be the most violent matchup of the evening.

 UFC 329 Predictions and Staff Picks

MMASucka staff picks are composed of four of the world’s leading mixed martial arts organizations: the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the Professional Fighters League (PFL), ONE Championship (ONE FC), and Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS).

• UFC picks will include main card fights ranging from four to six matchups per event.

• PFL picks from main cards for both pay-per-views and regular events.

• ONE FC and DWCS picks will feature all MMA fights from the event with a minimum of three matchups.

Staff picks in 2025 were won by Hank Strandberg with a record of 216-119.

Find our UFC 329 picks and fight odds below.

Staff records after UFC Vegas 119: 

1. Hank Strandberg: 108-48

2. Frazer Krohn: 85-66

3. Drew Zuhosky: 76-83

4. Andrew Benjamin: 18-18

Note – not all staff pick for every event

 

 

   Terrance McKinney -125

   Vs.

   King Green +105

           LIGHTWEIGHT

Hank Strandberg: McKinney by First-Round Knockout                                                      

Drew Zuhosky: Green by Unanimous Decision          

Frazer Kron: McKinney by First-Round Knockout   

Andrew Benjamin: Cuamba by Unanimous Decision       

 

Staff picking McKinney: 2

Staff picking Green: 1      

Lone'er Kavanagh -225

Vs.

Brandon Royval +190

     FLYWEIGHT

Hank Strandberg: Kavanagh by Unanimous Decision          

Drew Zuhosky: Royval by Unanimous Decision 

Frazer Krohn: Kavanagh by Unanimous Decision              

Staff picking Kavanagh: 2

Staff picking Royval: 1

Cory Sandhagen -130

Vs.

Mario Bautista +110

BANTAMWEIGHT

Hank Strandberg: Sandhagen by Unanimous Decision                                                     

Drew Zuhosky: Sandhagen by First-Round Knockout          

Frazer Kron: Sandhagen by Unanimous Decision   

Staff picking Sandhagen: 3

Staff picking Bautista: 0

Benoît Saint Denis -150

Vs.

Paddy Pimblett +130

  LIGHTWEIGHT

Hank Strandberg: Saint Denis by Unanimous Decision                                                               

Drew Zuhosky: Pimblett by Unanimous Decision        

Frazer Kron: Pimblett by Second-Round Submission                                                       

Staff picking Saint Denis: 1

Staff picking Pimblett: 2

Max Holloway -230

Vs.

Conor McGregor +195

WELTERWEIGHT

Hank Strandberg: Holloway by Third-Round Knockout            

Drew Zuhosky: Holloway by Second-Round Knockout         

Frazer Krohn: McGregor by Third-Round Knockout        

Staff picking Holloway: 2

Staff picking McGregor: 1